WIC Research, Policy and Practice Hub WIC Research, Policy and Practice Hub

Resource Types: Research


The Childhood Obesity Epidemic as a Result of Nongenetic Evolution: The Maternal Resources Hypothesis

Natural selection was iatrogenically rendered artificial selection, and the frequency of obese, inactive, metabolically compromised phenotypes increased in the global population. By the late 20th century, a metabolic tipping point was reached at which the postprandial insulin response was so intense, the relative number of adipocytes so large, and inactivity so pervasive that the competitive dominance of adipocytes in the sequestering of nutrient energy was inevitable and obesity was unavoidable.


Review of WIC Food Packages: Improving Balance and Choice: Final Report

The review committee targeted amounts of food, specifications for foods and additional substitutions of options for foods. They recommended reducing the quantities of items supplied in more than supplemental forms, increasing foods that were under consumed (FNV) and adjusted criteria to include whole grains while reducing added sugar consumption. Additional options were added for vegan participants.


Good Outcomes With WIC Continue

There has been an increase in healthful food after the revised food packages became available. Additionally, results show that the new food packages have an impact on healthier food intake as well, specifically whole grains, lower fat milk, and fruits and vegetables.


A randomized controlled trial of nutrition education to promote farmers’ market fruit and vegetable purchases and consumption among women enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC): rationale and design of the WIC Fresh Start program

WFS participants consumed more fruit (2.7 cups/day) but less vegetables (1.4 cups/day) than did women nationwide (1.1 and 1.4 cups/day, respectively; P <0.01). Although participants consumed recommended amounts of fruit, their vegetable intake was below recommended levels.


Changing WIC Changes What Children Eat

These findings demonstrate that positive changes in dietary intake and reductions in obesity followed implementation of the USDA-mandated cost-neutral revisions to the WIC food package for the hundreds of thousands of young children participating in the NYS WIC program.